Free Testosterone Reflects Metabolic as well as Ovarian Disturbances in Subfertile Oligomenorrheic Women
Table 4
Comparison of normal versus high free T in the study sample.
Free T ≤ 0.49 ng/dL; (56%)
Free T > 0.49 ng/dL; (44%)
value unadjusted
value (age and BMI adjusted)
Clinical parameters
Age
28.6 (2.4)
28.0 (3.7)
0.419
Hirsutism score
1.5 (1.9)
2.9 (2.8)
0.029
0.262
Having hirsutism (%)
9 (25%)
12 (42.9%)
0.131
0.515
Having acne (%)
16 (46%)
12 (41%)
0.728
0.902
Hormones
Total T (ng/dL)
33.3 (14.7)
63.3 (22.5)
<0.001
<0.001
A4 (ng/dL)
127 (52)
247 (83)
<0.001
<0.001
Free T (ng/dL)
0.32 (0.12)
0.90 (0.33)
<0.001
<0.001
SHBG (nmol/L)
85.1 (33.0)
50.9 (19.6)
<0.001
0.001
E2 (ng/L)
56.7 (48.9)
62.3 (53.3)
0.657
0.878
E1 (ng/L)
54.7 (31.5)
71.1 (34.0)
0.047
0.131
LH (U/L)
7.9 (3.9)
11.3 (5.3)
0.005
0.008
LH/FSH
1.3 (0.7)
2.1 (0.9)
<0.001
0.001
AMH (ng/mL)
6.9 (4.5)
10.7 (5.9)
0.007
0.005
Metabolic parameters
BMI
23.3 (4.3)
27.2 (5.5)
0.003
% normal BMI
24 (65%)
12 (41%)
% overweight
11 (30%)
10 (34%)
% obese
2 (5%)
7 (24%)
Glucose (mg/dL)
89.8 (8.0)
91.3 (6.6)
0.451
0.911
Insulin (pmol/L)
55.8 (31.6)
82.6 (46.3)
0.010
0.450
HOMA-IR
1.03 (0.57)
1.53 (0.85)
0.008
0.408
Ovarian parameters
Mean ovarian volume (mL)
8.0 (2.8)
12.2 (4.2)
<0.001
<0.001
Mean AFC
23.9 (10.5)
39.1 (15.0)
<0.001
<0.001
Follicle localization
0.047
Random
23 (74%)
10 (42%)
Peripheral
7 (23%)
13 (54%)
Random + peripheral
1 (3%)
1 (4%)
Follicle size
0.007
Uniform
6 (21%)
12 (60%)
Nonuniform
23 (79%)
8 (40%)
% of women with PCOM
27 (87%)
27 (100%)
0.053
Data are reported as mean (standard deviation) for continuous variables or as (percentage) for categorical variables. Linear or logistic regression was used to assess differences between groups (unadjusted, adjusted for age, and BMI). Total T: total testosterone; A4: androstenedione; free T: calculated free testosterone; SHBG: sex hormone-binding globulin; E2: estradiol; E1: estrone; LH: luteinizing hormone; FSH: follicle-stimulating hormone; HOMA-IR: homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; AFC: antral follicle count; PCOM: polycystic ovarian morphology.
